Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during an 11 September meeting in Beijing to “develop a long-term, strategic and comprehensive partnership”, reports The Akorda,writes Dilshat Zhussupova.

“We believe that China’s success is an important basis for the development of cooperation between our countries,” said Tokayev who paid his first state visit to China as Kazakhstan’s head of state. “This agreement, reached at the highest level, is a solid legal and political basis for further cooperation.”

Following the talks between the heads of state, several agreements were signed including an agreement on cooperation between the Kazakh and Chinese governments in aviation search and rescue of civil aircrafts, a memorandum of understanding between the Kazakh and Chinese governments on the implementation of the cooperation plan for the connectivity of the Nurly Zhol new economic policy and the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, an agreement on cooperation between the Kazakh and Chinese governments on the project of China providing Kazakhstan with a supercomputer; a memorandum between the Kazakh Ministry of Finance and the Chinese General Administration of Customs on strengthening cooperation in border protection of intellectual property rights, a memorandum of understanding between the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, a protocol between the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture and the Chinese General Administration of Customs on inspection, quarantine and veterinary and sanitary requirements for dairy products exported from Kazakhstan to China; a protocol between the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture and the Chinese General Administration of Customs on inspection, quarantine and veterinary and sanitary requirements for wool raw materials exported from Kazakhstan to China, a protocol between the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture and the Chinese General Customs Administration on inspection, quarantine and veterinary and sanitary requirements for flax exported from Kazakhstan to China; and a technical specification of the exchange of preliminary information on goods and vehicles transported across the customs borders of Kazakhstan and China.

“Our meeting takes place on the eve of the 70th anniversary of China. This is a major historical date. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you and the people of China on this date. China approaches this anniversary with great success in socioeconomic and political development. I believe this event is of great historical importance not only for China but also for the whole world. The whole world is watching the development of your state with great attention,” Tokayev said during his Sept. 11 meeting with Xi.

In turn, Xi praised Kazakhstan’s development and Kazakhstan’s First President, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

“Under the leadership of the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, your country has achieved impressive success, creating a model of development with national specifics. When you became President, you put forward the three principles of your policy – continuity, justice and progress. Your goals are to develop the economy, create jobs, combat corruption and increase the level of social security. All these meet the aspirations of the people of Kazakhstan. All your undertakings aim towards this. I wish the friendly people of Kazakhstan well-being and prosperity,” Xi addressed Tokayev.

L-R: Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Premier of the State Council of China Li Keqiang. Photo credit: akorda.kz.

Tokayev also met in China with Premier of the State Council of China Li Keqiang, congratulating him on the upcoming 1 October 70th anniversary of China. He noted Kazakh-Chinese relations have succeeded in the economy and the development of transport and logistics. The Premier also said Tokayev’s state visit to China will strengthen relations will.

The two heads of state have previously met at the 13-14 June Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, where the SCO member states adopted the Bishkek Declaration to promote peace, human rights and development through cooperation.

Today (10 September), President-elect Ursula von der Leyen (VDL) presented her team and the new structure of the next European Commission college. The new structure reflects the priorities and ambitions set out in the Political Guidelines that received broad support from the European Parliament in July, writes Catherine Feore.

VDL wants the EU to lead on a “transition to a healthy planet and a new digital world”. But she is keen to emphasize that no one should be left behind. In some ways she has adopted the language of Macron and a Europe that protects. She referred to creating opportunities for all wherever they live, their gender, their age.

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen said: “We will take bold action against climate change, build our partnership with the United States, define our relations with a more self-assertive China and be a reliable neighbour, for example to Africa. This team will have to stand up for our values and world-class standards. My Commission will be a geopolitical Commission committed to sustainable policies. And I want the European Union to be the guardian of multilateralism. Because we know that we are stronger by doing together what we cannot do alone.”

The President-elect repeatedly referred to the new Commission as “a geopolitical Commission”.

Earlier this year, the European Council on Foreign Relationscommissioned YouGov to carry out surveys covering more than 60,000 people across Europe, the study found that European citizens appear to be more enthusiastic about the EU taking on a stronger geopolitical role than reflected by the current EU policies.

ECFR – European Council on Foreign Relations

There will be three executive vice presidents (Vestager, Dombrovskis, Timmermans) and a further five vice presidents, including the High Representative, Josep Borrell. That makes a rather top-heavy eight vice presidents.

Three executive vice presidents will have a double function. They will be both vice president responsible for one of three core topics of the President-elect’s agenda and Commissioners.

Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans(Netherlands) will co-ordinate the work on the European Green Deal. He will also manage climate action policy, supported by the Directorate-General for Climate Action.

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen said Europe’s Green Deal would become Europe’s hallmark: “Those who act first and fastest will be the ones who grasp the opportunities from the ecological transition. I want Europe to be the front-runner. I want Europe to be the exporter of knowledge, technologies and best practice.”

Timmermans is a First Vice President in the current Commission, in his current position he has been a strong advocate for and defender of the rule of law and the EU’s fundamental values.

Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager (Denmark) will co-ordinate our whole agenda on a Europe fit for the digital age. That the EVP will retain her role as the Commissioner for Competition, was met with surprise.

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen said: “We have to make our single market fit for the digital age, we need to make the most of artificial intelligence and big data, we have to improve on cybersecurity and we have to work hard for our technological sovereignty.”

Big tech will be concerned by this assertion of a need for technological sovereignty. Vestager’s decisions as Competition Commissioner in the current mandate angered many of these companies, as well as the EU’s work on data protection, copyright and digital sales tax riled those companies who felt that the EU was unfairly focusing on them.

Valdis Dombrovskis will become the executive vice president for ‘An Economy that Works for People’ which will be a continuation of his current role, but without Pierre Moscovici to upstage him. His role will cover financial services, supported by the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union.

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen said: “We have a unique social market economy. It is the source of our prosperity and social fairness. This is all the more important when we face a twin transition: climate and digital. Valdis Dombrovskis will lead our work to bring together the social and the market in our economy.”

Margaritis Schinas (Greece, former MEP, long-serving official of the European Commission): Protecting our European Way of Life;

Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia, vice president in the Juncker Commission): Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight;

Dubravka Šuica (Croatia, MEP): Democracy and Demography.

The other commissioners-designate are:

Johannes Hahn (Austria) will be in charge of ‘Budget and Administration‘, and will report directly to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. As a long-serving member of the College, he knows about the importance of nurturing a modern administration.

Didier Reynders (Belgium), who trained as a lawyer, is a highly experienced former national finance minister, minister for foreign and European affairs and minister of defence. In the new Commission, he will be responsible for ‘Justice’ (including the topic of the rule of law).

Mariya Gabriel (Bulgaria) is a current European Commissioner. She worked with dedication and energy on the digital portfolio, and is now moving on to create new perspectives for the young generation (‘Innovation and Youth’ portfolio).

Stella Kyriakides(Cyprus) is a medical psychologist with many years of experience in the field of social affairs, health and cancer prevention. She will lead the ‘Health’ portfolio.

Kadri Simson (Estonia) is a long-serving member of the Estonian parliament and Minister for Economic Affairs and Infrastructure. She will be in charge of the ‘Energy’ portfolio.

Jutta Urpilainen (Finland) was not only Finance Minister and a long-standing member of the Finnish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee; she has also worked as a special envoy in Ethiopia. She will take over responsibility for ‘International Partnerships’.

Sylvie Goulard (France), former MEP, is a dedicated and convinced European. As the ‘Internal Market’ commissioner, she will lead our work on industrial policy and promote the Digital Single Market. She will also be responsible for the new Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space.

László Trócsányi (Hungary) is the former minister of justice of Hungary. He will lead the ‘Neighbourhood and Enlargement’ portfolio.

Phil Hogan (Ireland), the incumbent commissioner for agriculture, will bring his experience to the new Commission in the ‘Trade’ portfolio.

Paolo Gentiloni (Italy), former Italian prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, will be sharing his vast experience in the ‘Economy’ portfolio.

Virginijus Sinkevičius (Lithuania), Lithuanian minister for economy and innovation, will be responsible for ‘Environment and Oceans’.

Nicolas Schmit (Luxembourg) is bringing his experience from the European Parliament and his service as national minister for Employment and Labour, and will now be responsible for the ‘Jobs’ portfolio.

Helena Dalli (Malta) has dedicated her political life to equality, serving as minister for social dialogue, consumer affairs and civil liberties, and also as a Minister for European Affairs and Equality. She will lead the ‘Equality’ portfolio.

Janusz Wojciechowski (Poland) was a long-serving Member of the European Parliament in the Agriculture Committee and is currently a Member of the European Court of Auditors. He will be in charge of the portfolio ‘Agriculture’.

Elisa Ferreira(Portugal) is currently Vice-Governor of Banco de Portugal. She has been a Member of the European Parliament for many years, and was the Portuguese Minister for Planning and Minister for Environment. She will lead the ‘Cohesion and Reforms’ portfolio.

Rovana Plumb (Romania) is a Member of the European Parliament (Vice-President of the Social and Democrats Group), and is a former national minister of environment and climate change, minister of labour, minister of European funds, minister of education and minister of transport. She will be in charge of the ‘Transport’ portfolio.

Janez Lenarčič (Slovenia) is a Slovenian diplomat. He was secretary of state for European Affairs, and worked closely for several years with the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union. He will be in charge of the ‘Crisis Management’ portfolio.

Ylva Johansson (Sweden) is national minister for employment and also a former minister for schools and minister for health and elderly care and member of the Swedish Parliament. She is also a highly respected expert in the fields of employment, integration, health and welfare. She will lead the ‘Home Affairs’ portfolio.

The EU-Cuba Joint Council met for the second time on 9 September 2019 in Havana, Cuba. It discussed how to maintain momentum in the implementation of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, which has been provisionally applied since November 2017.

The Political Dialogue and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and Cuba is a sign of the importance we attach to our relations. We hope that the new chapter we have opened can further strengthen the friendship between the people of Europe and of Cuba. This is why we are here: to celebrate and to further strengthen our dialogue and co-operation.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The celebration of this second Joint Council is an example of the progress of the relations with the EU. It allows to take stock of this progress and to outline future actions of mutual benefit.

Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba

The Joint Council reviewed the five structured political dialogues launched under the agreement in key areas: human rights, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, conventional arms control, unilateral restrictive measures and sustainable development.

It also reviewed bilateral relations and cooperation programmes in areas such as culture, energy, agriculture and economic modernisation. The two sides agreed to launch sectoral policy dialogues in the fields of energy, agriculture, environment and climate change.

Trade and investment between the EU and Cuba, including the extraterritorial effects of the US Helms-Burton legislation, were also discussed.

In addition, the Joint Council touched upon regional and global issues, such as recent developments in Latin America and the Caribbean, including EU-CELAC relations. They also discussed coordination in multilateral fora in areas such as climate change and sustainable and inclusive development.

The Joint Council was co-chaired by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the Cuba Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.

President-elect Ursula von der Leyen today (9 September) formally presented her draft list of commissioners-designate, however, Commission watchers will have to wait until tomorrow to find out the portfolio of each one, writes Catherine Feore.

Although politically neutral, Commissioners reflect the political balance of the EU. There are ten commissioners from the European People’s Party (EPP) – including von der Leyen; from the Socialists and Democrats group (S&D); five fron Renew Europe (RE – formerly the Alliance of Liberal Democrats); one European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and two independent candidates – one of whom is loosely affiliated with the Greens.

This follows a series of formal interviews President-elect von der Leyen held over the past weeks with each of the persons suggested by the member states as candidates for commissioner.The Council of the European Union must now adopt this list, in accordance with Article 17(7) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).

Not plain sailing

Once designated there is a set of hearings in the European Parliament in front of the relevant committee. The European Parliament must then give its consent to the entire College of Commissioners, including the president and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission. Once the European Parliament has given its consent, the European Council formally appoints the European Commission.

It’s almost getting impossible to move around the internet without bumping into another article or post about Brexit. However, unlike many of the other doom-and-gloom posts, there is some positive news if you are a Bitcoin enthusiast.

In June 2016 when the UK democratically voted to leave the EU, the pound started its journey of a steady decline, which after some periods of stability, continues to sink in value. However, at this time when the pound began to fall, something else was happening in the crypto world. Bitcoin began to rise. In fact, it rose around 50% of its then market value and has grown in value extraordinarily ever since.

With that in mind and the do-or-die date of 31st October looming ever closer, will Bitcoin rally again? It is possible and it may be time for UK citizens to improve their knowledge of cryptocurrency and register at Luno for a bitcoin wallet. Let’s take a look at what may be in store for us all.

London is a talking point

If no deal is achieved there is potential for London to lose its title as one of the financial hubs of the world. Banking headquarters and fintech companies are likely to look elsewhere to set up camp which allows them to trade with EU countries and the countries they have trade deals with easily and more affordably. It may be that Bitcoin can rescue London’s status and help the UK in general if crypto regulations are finalised, allowing businesses to take advantage of one of these digital and borderless assets. Crypto regulation is in the pipeline, but the UK may want to speed up its implementation.

No deal increases Bitcoin interest

If Prime Minister Johnson and other EU leaders are not to shake hands and agree on an alternative to the sticking point of the negotiations – the Irish backstop – this may work in the favour of crypto and particularly Bitcoin. The pound may become turbulent if the previous scenario plays out and that means investors will look elsewhere and diversify their portfolio. Even investors who have not considered crypto before may start to increase their attention in that direction. Bitcoin is the likely choice considering its status as the most valuable and most recognised crypto. Even non-investing types may decide to switch their fiat currency for Bitcoin.

In times of crisis, crypto has become somewhat of a safe haven for citizens. More often than not this occurs in countries with exceptionally poor economics and countries that are in the middle of hyperinflation or low living standards. The escape route remains there for UK citizens too – if they choose to!

Nobody can know for certain if Bitcoin will be a pillar that keeps the UK afloat come the end of October, but there is a strong chance that it could help the UK economy once they are standing alone with no trade deals ready to implement and a crumbling native currency.

]]>89947EU leading in #GlobalAgriFoodTradehttps://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2019/09/06/eu-leading-in-globalagrifoodtrade/
Fri, 06 Sep 2019 05:00:08 +0000https://www.eureporter.co/?p=89899In a report published on 5 September,, the EU confirms for yet another year its position as largest global exporter of agri-food products, with EU exports reaching €138 billion in 2018.

Agriculture products represent a solid share of 7% of the value of EU total goods exported in 2018, ranking fourth after machinery, other manufactured goods and chemicals. Agriculture and the food related industries and services together provide almost 44 million jobs in the EU. The food production and processing chain accounts for 7.5% of employment and 3.7% of total value added in the EU.

Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan (pictured) said: “The increasingly market-oriented Common Agricultural Policy has made a decisive contribution to the EU’s success in agricultural trade. The EU’s reputation for having safe, sustainably produced, nutritious and quality products is a winning formula in the global marketplace. The Commission is here to assist producers in taking full advantage of opportunities around the globe, while always making sure that our more sensitive sectors are provided with sufficient safeguards.”

The top five destinations for EU’s agri-food products continues to be the United States, China, Switzerland, Japan and Russia, accounting for 40% of EU exports. In addition to negotiating trade agreements that provide further opportunities for EU farmers, the European Commission helps EU exporters to enter new markets and benefit from business possibilities through promotion activities, including high-level missions led by Commissioner Hogan. In 2018 and 2019, Commissioner Hogan accompanied by EU producers travelled to China, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Wines and vermouth continue to dominate the basket of exported products with spirits and liqueurs ranking second. Then come infant food and various food preparations, chocolate, pasta and pastry.

Regarding imports, the report concludes that the EU became the second biggest importer of agri-food products with €116 billion worth of imports. This brings the EU trade balance for this sector to a positive net of €22 billion.

The EU mainly sources three types of products: products that are not, or only to a small extent, produced in the EU such as tropical fruit, coffee and fresh or dried fruits (representing 23.4% of imports in 2018); products that are destined for animal feed (including oilcakes and soybeans – together 10.8% of imports); and products used as ingredients in further processing (such as palm oil).

Imports from the U.S. were the fastest growing in 2018, with an increase of 10%, which makes this country the EU’s top supplier of agri-food products.

The full report also includes an overview of the trade performance of the EU’s key partners (United States, China, Brazil, Japan, Russia) and their trade flows with the EU, as well as a chapter on trade and cooperation with Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

]]>89899#VATGap – EU countries lost €137 billion in VAT revenues in 2017https://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2019/09/05/vatgap-eu-countries-lost-e137-billion-in-vat-revenues-in-2017/
Thu, 05 Sep 2019 10:45:16 +0000https://www.eureporter.co/?p=89874EU countries lost €137 billion in Value-Added Tax (VAT) revenues in 2017, according to a study released by the European Commission today. The VAT Gap describes the overall difference between the expected VAT revenue and the amount actually collected. It has reduced somewhat compared to previous years but remains very high, highlighting once more the need for comprehensive reform of the EU VAT rules, as proposed in 2017 by the Commission.

New rules would help clamp down on VAT fraud and improve the rules for legitimate businesses and traders. Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: “The favourable economic climate and some short-term policy solutions put in place by the EU helped to lower the VAT Gap in 2017. However, to achieve more meaningful progress we will need to see a thorough reform of the VAT system to make it more fraud-proof. Our proposals to introduce a definitive and business-friendly VAT system remain on the table. Member states cannot afford to stand by while billions are lost to illegal VAT carousel fraud and inconsistencies in the system.”

Romania recorded the largest national VAT Gap with 36% of VAT revenues going missing in 2017. This was followed by Greece (34%) and Lithuania (25%). The smallest gaps were in Sweden, Luxembourg and Cyprus where only 1% of VAT revenues on average fell by the wayside. In absolute terms, the highest VAT Gap of around €33.5bn was in Italy. The VAT Gap measures the effectiveness of VAT enforcement and compliance measures in each member state, as it provides an estimate of revenue loss due to fraud and evasion, tax avoidance, bankruptcies, financial insolvencies as well as miscalculations.